Three tigers and two lions are spending the winter at the Circus High School animal training centre near Fraserburgh. Wildlife charity Born Free said it is “extremely concerned” about the standard of accommodation the animals are being kept in. The group claims the big cats have been seen "repetitively pacing" in their enclosure and have displayed aggressive behaviour.
A spokesman for Born Free said: "We have received alarming reports of big cats being kept on a farm in Aberdeenshire. As quickly as possible, we dispatched an investigator to check on the situation. The three tigers, two male and one female, and two male lions, had previously been touring the UK with Peter Jolly’s Circus. As this circus has finished performances for the season the cats and their trainer are spending the winter on the farm in Fraserburgh. The big cats are living in three cages of a traditional circus beast wagon. The female tiger lives on her own, while the two male tigers share a cage, as do the two male lions. The beast wagon is attached to a small circular pen that the animals can access when they are not locked away. The lions and tigers must share this pen and during the investigator’s visit there was always at least one big cat locked in the sleeping quarters. Born Free is extremely concerned that these cats are being housed in this manner."
Aberdeenshire Council said no regulations have been breached at Circus High School and confirmed they have carried out checks at the farm. They added: "We are satisfied with the health, welfare and security arrangements in place and the enclosures will be inspected on a regular basis."
Circus High School could not be reached for comment on Wednesday. Aberdeen SNP MSP Kevin Stewart has tabled a motion at Holyrood calling for a ban on animals being used in circuses.
The motion "calls on the Scottish Government to introduce legislation to ban the use of wild animals in circuses."
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